table AND HE SAID TO THEM, ‘THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN, NOT MAN FOR SABBATH. THEREFORE, THE SON OF MAN IS LORD EVEN OF THE SABBATH.’ MARK 2:27
Dear friends, We are so excited that you have chosen to embark on this amazing journey with us. This Table Guide is designed to help you celebrate the Sabbath as a regular part of your week, the way God intended it to be. In late 2018 we began recognizing the Sabbath in our home. We started celebrating this sacred time as a family and experienced first-hand the blessings that come with it. The Sabbath and Shabbat celebration are now the night of the week (usually Friday night) that our family looks forward to the most. The tradition of the Sabbath goes back all the way to Genesis 1: God worked for six days and then he rested. The Sabbath was created by God before the laws of the Old Testament came into place. We see Jesus continue this in the New Testament as he says he is the Lord of the Sabbath, meaning that he rules and reigns over this sacred day and only he has the authority to change it. We even see evidence that we will celebrate the Sabbath on the other side of eternity as scripture tells us: “From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me” (Isaiah 66:23 ESV) We hope that you will give this a try with your family. As with anything new, it may feel a little awkward at first. But just give it some time and allow it to gain traction in your life. This has truly been a blessing in our home and we believe it will bless you as well. In this Table Guide you will find some helpful resources. We will be praying alongside you and your family as you participate in Shabbat and engage in this sacred day of rest! Shabbat Shalom! (= peace on the Sabbath!) Sebastiaan & Eva van Wessem Lead Pastors Celebration Church Netherlands
WHAT IS SABBATH? Did you know that God wants a placeholder on his calendar for a weekly meeting with you? In the Old Testament, this appointment was called the Sabbath (Hebrew: shabbat). The idea began at creation (Gen 2:1-3) and was instituted after the exodus of Israel from Egypt (Ex.20:8-11). The Hebrew term shabbat speaks of “rest” (Gen.2:2). Each week, from sundown on Friday till sundown on Saturday, God commanded his people Israel to honor him and set this time aside from the chaos and distraction of everyday life. Doing so reminded Israelites of certain things. First, they were reminded that God rested after making chaos into a habitable place for humanity (Gen.1:2; 2:1-3). God had brought order to the unformed earth and the primeval watery deep (Gen.1:2) to create a home for humanity. He came to earth to dwell in his garden with his human family (Gen.3:8; Ezek.28:13; 31:8,9; Isa.51:3). Second, Sabbath reminded Israel of how God had again shown his mastery over the chaotic watery deep by parting the Red Sea to deliver his people from Egypt’s pharaoh and its gods. He would bring them to the home he had prepared for them and save them from all the supernatural powers of chaos that sought their destruction. By remembering the Sabbath, Israel remembered who truly was God of gods, master of creation, and that this mighty God had loved them before God gave them the law (Deut.7:7-8). Israel did not have to earn God’s love, only rest in it. The Sabbath rest reminded them of the hand of God in their origin, status, and destiny. Jesus and his disciples observed the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. After the resurrection, Jewish followers of Jesus honored the Sabbath but gradually began to meet on the first day of the week, the day of resurrection (Matt.28:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.16:2). The New Testament believers, Jew and Gentile alike, thought of this day as “the first day of Sabbath rest” (the literal Greek wording in Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.16:2). They connected the idea of Sabbath to what Jesus did on the cross. As the book of Hebrews tells us, Jesus is our Sabbath rest: For we who have believed enter that rest… So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. (Heb.4:3,9-10 ESV) We lack nothing in God’s eyes when it comes to his acceptance of us as children in his family. We are whole in Christ, equal members of the same family, not on the basis of our performance, but on the basis of the perfect obedience of Jesus in accomplishing his mission for our forgiveness and salvation. We are to rest in that.
Today we meet on Sundays for worship and hearing the Word of God. We’ve lost the sense of what Sabbath meant. We need to recover its meaning. The Shabbat Dinner is a wonderful way to recover the concept of rest and peace with God in our families. Shabbat is the Hebrew word that is translated into English as “Sabbath.” Shabbat Dinner is the recognition and commemoration of the joyful rest of the Sabbath. A typical greeting on the Sabbath in the Jewish community is “Shabbat shalom,” which means “Peace on the Sabbath” or, more figuratively, “May you dwell in complete wholeness on this seventh day, the day of rest.” We are made whole by being in Christ, in whose work we trust and rest. The Shabbat Dinner reminds us of the ancient meaning of the Sabbath. Sabbath rest was a time to escape the chaos and turmoil of a broken, “less than Eden” world. The world God intended for humanity was cursed because of the Fall (Gen.3:17-19). Eden was lost. The Sabbath was a time to remember that God had desired us to be at peace (shalom) with him and with our brothers and sisters. That what God still wants today! Right after God’s covenant with his people was confirmed at Mount Sinai (Ex.24:1-8), God invited Moses, Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel to a meal with him at his home on Mount Sinai (Ex.24:9-10). God then gave Moses the tablets of the Law (Ex.24:12-18). God celebrated the fact that he had a family before his family received the Law. In Shabbat Dinner, we want to remember that our home is to be a safe place from the darkness of this world. We want to be reminded of the peace (shalom) God intended for us. Shabbat Dinner is not our chance to earn God’s favor by observing a law. We do not need to convince God to love us. We are the children he already loves. We want to remember the Sabbath, instead of being a slave to the Sabbath. At Shabbat Dinner we have an opportunity to open our homes to Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a special way and receive the kind of peace that only he can bring. Remembering Sabbath therefore helps us look forward to the time when we will all be at God’s table with Jesus as our host, complete in his deliverance from the present world. Sabbath is a brief glimpse of the age yet to come, when we are all alive with Jesus, our older Brother, in the new Eden, the global house of God, for the rest of time (Heb.2:10-12; Rev.19:9). We want to experience what life should be like with God and the rest of our believing family, and therefore be reminded of the future restoration of the world when Jesus returns. Our celebration of the Lord’s Table (communion) not only helps us proclaim “the Lord’s death, until he comes” (1 Cor.11:26); it also gives us a foretaste of the ultimate meal with Jesus, the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev.19:9), which signals that God’s kingdom has come in its full manifestation. In Judaism, the Shabbat Dinner contains elements of ancient Israel’s Passover. The connection was natural, since the sabbath had been instituted after the deliverance from Egypt. The Shabbat Dinner reminded Jews that they had been slaves in Egypt, but also that they had been saved from all the supernatural powers of chaos that sought their destruction. The Sabbath Dinner calls to mind Old Testament passages like these: You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an
outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. (Deut.5:15 ESV) It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. (Ex.12:11b-12 ESV) Jesus declared boldly that He is the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). This means that Jesus rules and reigns over this sacred day even into the establishment of the new heavens and the new earth! Envisioning the new, global Edenic kingdom of God, Isaiah said: “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD. (Isa. 66:22-23 ESV): Practicing a Sabbath commemoration allows us to set aside time for family fellowship with God himself, to worship, remember, reflect, and rest. The Shabbat Dinner is a joyful and festive meal where we begin that commemoration. The Shabbat Dinner traditionally begins with the lighting of the candles at sundown. In the Old Testament, the golden lampstand (the menorah) stood in the Holy Place of the tabernacle or temple. The Lampstand was fashioned as a tree, an artistic emblem of the tree of life in God’s garden home, Eden (Exodus 25). The lampstand and its light were a visual reminder of God’s presence. Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua) is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). We also are the light of the world because we are members of the body of Christ (Matt.5:14). The candles of our Shabbat Dinner remind us of the fact that he is present as our honored guest, and that God is with us in new, earthly tabernacles, the body of each believer and, collectively, in each believing home. We eat unleavened bread at Shabbat Dinner because the bread of Passover was made without yeast due to the urgency in preparing to leave Egypt and the haste with which that occurred. The Israelites could not wait for the bread to rise (Ex.12:11,14-20). Redemption was imminent. As Jesus is our Sabbath (Heb.4:3,9), he is also our Passover. He makes us pure and unleavened as our Passover lamb (1 Cor.5:7). We pray that he will return soon.
HOW TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL SHABBAT DINNER? The Shabbat dinner is a joyful and festive meal to start our week. It consists of four important parts: • Lighting the candle(s) • Communion • Affirmative prayers • Dinner Lighting the candle(s) The purpose of lighting the candle is to illuminate your home and to increase peace and harmony (shalom bayit) in it. Jesus is the light of the world, and by lighting the candle at the beginning of the Sabbath, we usher in his presence and welcome him as our guest of honor. When our guest arrives for dinner, he brings peace (shalom) into our home. Lighting the candle demonstrates that Jesus is the light in our home, that we make time to enjoy his presence and that we have hope because he lives. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5 NLT) Imagine a network of households across the city (and nation) that have the weekly habit of declaring that Jesus is the light of the world in this way, people who demonstrate that their families are loyal to the King of kings! Communion The bread and the wine (or grape juice) are powerful symbols. The bread symbolizes Christ’s body, and as we eat from the same bread, we announce that we are one in him. His body was broken so that we can be made whole, individually and as a family. The wine (or grape juice) is a symbol for the blood of Jesus that was poured out for us for the forgiveness of all our sins – through which we were adopted back into the presence of God. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:19-20 ESV) It is also a powerful proclamation as the word tells us, For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1Cor.11:26 ESV) Through communion: • We remember what Jesus has done 2000 years ago on the cross; • We thank him for what he is doing in our lives and families today; • We look forward to his return, when he will invite us to sit with him at another table: the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev.19:9). Affirmative prayers This is a time of healing and of restoring a divine order in the household/family that will release God’s blessing. The head of the house (or host of the evening) prays a prayer of thankfulness, honor and gratitude over his wife. He speaks blessings and prays over his children (and/or guests) with words of affirmation. In doing so, he takes his place as the “head of the house” or the “priest of the home”. In return, the wife (or a guest) speaks a prayer of blessing and thankfulness over the head of the household that honors his/her position as the head of the family or the host. These prayers show the difference in the functions of the people involved, and at the same time their equality in kingdom value. The same applies when we are celebrating with guests or friends. The leader (host of the dinner) speaks a blessing and prayers of affirmation over his/her guests. One of the guests will pray a prayer of blessing and gratitude over the host in return. Imagine the effect of these prayers of affirmation
on your children, friends and guests! Receiving these affirmative prayers can achieve more than listening to 20 sermons on a Sunday mornings. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt.6:33 ESV) “Where order is restored, blessing is released.” ~ Ps. Stovall Weems Dinner We believe that the church should truly be a fellowship, even a family of believers: a community that invites the lonely into families. Creating a weekly dinner tradition will not only heal, restore and strengthen the hosting families; it will also create family moments for singles and other church members who are lonely. On the Sabbath, we have the opportunity to open our homes to the Holy Spirit in a special way and invite friends, family and others over for dinner to receive the kind of peace that only He can bring. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. (Psalm 68:6 NLT Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 ESV) The Sabbath in its original form starts with the Sabbath dinner on Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening at sundown. The Saturday should have a focus on rest, fellowship and recharging our batteries as well. This may look different for every individual. It is a time to count our blessings, enjoy life and the company of our family, and spend time in God’s presence. We understand that this might be challenging and might collide with our busy agendas, but we will feel the positive effect of it, whenever we seek to make it work. Priests and kings The Bible calls us believers “royal priests” and even gives us a clear idea that we will reign with Jesus in future. Have you ever thought about that? But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 ESV) And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth. (Rev.5:10 NLT) Often, we do not understand this aspect of complete adoption that also includes a transfer of divine authority. Jesus shares His power and kingship with us, and He wants us to reign with Him. Unbelievable! Bringing our homes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is a very important step on this journey. As the leaders of our homes (whether in an “ideal” family setup or otherwise) we can make the same decision Joshua made in the Old Testament by saying: “But as for me and my house [=family], we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15b ESV) Celebrating the Sabbath is a powerful way to demonstrate that Jesus is the Lord of our households. It will enable us to raise our children in the reality of a living relationship with God and have them taste and see what that is like firsthand. We will also be connecting with other people and experience this time together as the family of God, where no-one needs to be alone. We are convinced that bringing this special time back into our homes will have a huge impact. It will bless our church, heal relationships, restore
community and build God’s kingdom in the Netherlands. Join us! What do I need? • Candle (You can use a normal white candle.) • Wine or grape juice • Challah bread, matzah or any other bread • Cup/Glass for communion • Dinner (All items can be found at major supermarkets.)
SHABBAT DINNER GUIDE Key sabbath scriptures So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen.2:3 ESV) You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. (Deut.5:15 ESV) And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark.2:2728 ESV) “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD. (Isa. 66:22-23 ESV): Sample order of the Shabbat Dinner The Shabbat dinner can follow the pattern of The Lord’s prayer as found in Matthew 6:9-13. 1. LIGHTING THE CANDLES Scripture that can be read out loud: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt.6:9-10 ESV) ACTION: LIGHT THE CANDLE Opening prayer by host (use this prayer or find your own words): [After this declaration, everyone who wants to may drink the wine/juice.] “Jesus, You are the Light of the world! Whoever follows you will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12). We welcome you into our home and we thank you for this day of rest. We declare that you are the Lord of this house, the Light that drives out all darkness. (John 1:5)” Response from table: “Jesus, we thank you.” Or “Amen.” 2. COMMUNION Scripture (read out loud): “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matt.6:11-12 ESV) ACTION: Serve communion. Take the bread, or arrange it on the table so that everybody is free to decide whether or not to take it (perhaps a good option if you have vistors or friends who are not believers or are unsure if they want to participate). Declaration by host (Taking the bread and lifting it in the air): “We thank you, Lord Jesus, for your body that was broken for us so that we can be whole.” [After this declaration, break the bread and take some bread for yourself, and then pass it on to others – in a family setting, first to the wife, then to the children.] [Taking the wine/juice:] “Lord Jesus, we thank you for your blood of the covenant which was poured out for the removal of our sins.”
Response from table: “Jesus, we thank you.” Or “Amen.” 3. PRAYER OF BLESSING AND AFFIRMATION Scripture (read out loud): “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matt.6:13 ESV) ACTION: The host prays a blessing over family (or friends, if they are open for it and allow you to do so). As the host / head of the household, go from person to person, lay hands on your spouse / child / guest and pray a prayer of blessing over them. Thank God in turn for each of them and for the unique way each person is made in the image of God. Prayer of blessing from table: (Spouse / family members place(s) hands on the head of household / host and pray aloud. This can be done in a family setting as well as with friends. The wife can start, thanking God for her husband / the host. Children / friends can join in by speaking a blessing over the head of the household / host of the dinner.) Prayer of blessing of the host / father to close the communion part: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. [=shalom] (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV)
Now enjoy your dinner and the fellowship! Please share your experiences or the testimonies flowing from this weekly dinner tradition by sending your story to Celebration Church Netherlands via info@celebrationchurch.nl. Also: feel free to change the order of the dinner and to add elements that make this dinner meaningful for your family and friends. Instead of starting with communion, you can also have communion towards the end, or between the main course and dessert. It is also very meaningful to discuss scripture (using The Bible Project videos makes this very accessible to kids as well), and share testimonies. SHABBAT SHALOM!
1 Online Touch